Maximum Score Competition

[JohnJust]

My Club is considering running Maximum Score Competitions [MSC] in accordance with CONGU Rules. An analysis of previous matches shows that had this form of play been in operation a player's score would have improved by 2 strokes and that with this score he would have been a Medal prize winner [3rd]. It has been suggested that MSC scores only count for handicap purposes. However, given that the potential score would not be known, as the player will have picked up, I am not sure that this is the case. One could divide the field into those players who had submitted cards with MSC scores [ eg 20 players play 4 return cards with MSC scores 16 players are eligible to win prizes and 4 are not] but this seems to be outside the intention of the MSC competition.

Do any members have experience of running MSC competitions and if so how do they deal with the above potential issue?

 

[Capella]

For handicap purposes, it is totally irrelevant. The handicap is always based on the Stableford score, you cannot make less than no points on a hole, it does not matter if you use 7 or 8 or 18 shots for the hole. So using the MSC score and the full number of strokes should make absolutely no difference for the handicap. The only purpose of MSC is to speed up stroke play cometitions. That only works if players always pick up once they have reached the maximum allowance of shots for that hole (and are allowed to do so without waving the opportunty to enter the prizes). Otherwise it is pretty pointless.

 

[rosecott]

We have been running all of our regular strokeplay competitions since the beginning of the year as MSCs. There were initial mutterings from the lower handicappers but they very quickly stopped complaining when they saw the actuality. It might have been better if the software had been tweaked to allow the definition of an 8/9/10 as a genuine or a maximum score and making markers responsible for annotating such a score. That would then provide an opportunity to analyse the effect of MSCs.

Our players now accept that this is the order of the day without question and it has certainly had a beneficial effect on pace of play.

 

[brfcfan]

I dont see the point in running medal comps with a maximum score, you may as well just run a stableford. I would be really cheesed off if I was beaten in a medal round by someone who would have racked up a 10 or 11 and they were given a 7.

As Capella says handicap rounds are always done from a stableford basis anyway

 

[rosecott]

I dont see the point in running medal comps with a maximum score, you may as well just run a stableford. I would be really cheesed off if I was beaten in a medal round by someone who would have racked up a 10 or 11 and they were given a 7.

As Capella says handicap rounds are always done from a stableford basis anyway

Our experience is that it is highly unlikely that a round with a Maximum Score would be in the prizes. Anyway, he couldn't be given a 7, it's 8 on a par 3, 9 on a par 4 and 10 on a par 5.

 

[brfcfan]

Our experience is that it is highly unlikely that a round with a Maximum Score would be in the prizes. Anyway, he couldn't be given a 7, it's 8 on a par 3, 9 on a par 4 and 10 on a par 5.

It is down to the committee to set the maximum score, which could be +4, if it was set any higher it wouldnt be a qualifier which defeats the object of holding a comp in the first place IMO

 

[Grant85]

I personally don't think it is right that someone can win a prize this way. I am always aware that for handicap purposes it doesn't matter if I pick up, I can still string a decent round together and effect my handicap positively.

I appreciate that someone with a net quad on their card is unlikely to win something - but for a higher handicap they obviously have a chance. Especially if they miss a bit of weather that other players have to play through.

But I have seen problems at some clubs where guys just refuse to NR and will carry on, running a score well into 3 figures. Personally don't see the point in this. It holds up play and is surely a bit demoralising to post such high scores. If you want to measure progress then just monitor stableford points.

I would also be surprised if people who are of this mindset would even pick up knowing they had reached the maximum score.

 

[rosecott]

CONGU

It is down to the committee to set the maximum score, which could be +4, if it was set any higher it wouldnt be a qualifier which defeats the object of holding a comp in the first place IMO

Just to get the facts correct again, our advice is that CONGU decrees that Maximum Scores be set at +5 for competitions to be qualifiers. How does that defeat the object of holding a comp?

 

[ScienceBoy]

Don’t return a score on a hole in a medal- your out of the prizes but can return a card for handicap.

I like the idea of a max score still but it’s really just a way of forcing common sense into people at the expense of some others.

 

[duncan mackie]

Looking at this from the other direction, it's somewhat strange that we have got to the point that because players are handicapped to stableford those with higher handicaps are uncompetitive in medal competitions....so someone comes up with the bright idea of converting their scores to a slightly worse than stableford medal one!
Honestly, you couldn't script it.

1. As already posted - it's introduction is irrelevant for handicapping.
2. As already posted you are better off running more stableford competitions (if it's about giving high handicaps a higher chance of competing).
3. If it about pace of play...see 2 above.

 

[rulefan]

The whole thing was a gesture to the US where stablefords are almost unheard of and pace of play is a real issue.